1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to on-line auctioning and, particularly, to accurately determine the end of the on-line auction for an item.
2. Statement of the Problem
It is common for on-line auction services to provide an end time that is typically set by the seller of an item to the auction. In eBay, Inc., for example, when a particular item is searched based upon key word, the SEARCH RESULTS web page 100 as shown in FIG. 1 shows the item by number 110, by description 120, the current bid price 130, the number of bids 140, and when the auction ends 150. For example, as an item approaches the end of its deadline, the end time 150 is set forth in minutes. In eBay, Inc., the SEARCH RESULTS 100 show the time in minutes when sixty or less minutes exist. This end time 150, in the case of eBay, Inc., is based upon an official time 160 which is a separate screen display 200, shown in FIG. 2, that shows the eBay, Inc. current date and time for the various time zones 210. A user has to click on 160 to see FIG. 2.
On the screen 300, shown in FIG. 3, for the auction of the item 310, the start time 320 for the auction is set forth and the end time 330 for the auction for that item is set forth as well as the TIME LEFT 340.
Unfortunately, the official time 210 does not usually correspond to the time on the user's computer. Hence, a need exists to derive a time left or a countdown time independent of the official time of the auction service.